Giving Back: 7 Ways to Knit and Crochet for Charity

You’re a creative and passionate person, why not use your talents to give back to the community! There are so many benefits to donating your knitting and crochet work to charity. Aside from helping others in need, it also gives knitters and crocheters a chance to be more involved by discovering new volunteer opportunities.

Crocheting and knitting for charity is also a great time to learn a new skill. Whether you’re planning to crochet a blanket or knit a hat, you can find a pattern that challenges you, freeing two birds with one key by learning a new skill while simultaneously helping someone in need. Here are 7 ways you can use your crocheting or knitting to make the world a better place.

Go national

Project Linus

Probably one of the most famous yarn craft charities, Project Linus, provides blankets to children in need. Simply search their database to find the closest place to drop off your donated blanket.

You can easily modify slip-stitch afghan patterns, like the one seen above,

Want to try out some new skills for your donated blanket? Check out Crafty’s My First Slip-Stitch Afghan class with Rhonda Fargnoli and make a child-size version of the slip-stitch afghan pictured above. It’s simple to create a custom size since the blocks are all knitted separately and then seamed together. These knitted baby blanket patterns are also a great place to look for inspiration.

Warm Up America!

Warm Up America! distributes afghans to all kinds of charities, from homeless shelters to women’s shelters, hospitals and nursing homes. The great thing about Warm Up America! is that you don’t have to knit or crochet an entire afghan on your own. You can knit or crochet as many 7″ x 9″ rectangles as you can, then send them to Warm Up America! to be joined with other rectangles into an afghan. Their website provides knit and crochet patterns to help you with your rectangles, or you can improvise and design your own.

The Red Scarf Project

Each year, The Red Scarf Project sends Valentine’s Day care packages to foster students in need of encouragement as they graduate from high school and move on to college. Nothing shows someone you care like a handmade item, even if that someone is a stranger. See the red scarf guidelines and start knitting or crocheting a scarf for the next cycle of care packages, then browse Craftsy’s knitted neckwear and crocheted neckwear patterns to find one you’d like to make.

Go local

National organizations are a great option for donating, but how about focusing your charity work in your own town?

Here’s a few a local organizations that would be happy to benefit from your knit or crochet talents:

Homeless shelters

Blankets, scarves, hats — homeless shelters are especially looking for donations during the freezing winter months. Your donation doesn’t have to be fancy. Patterns like the Chunky Ribbed Scarf pictured above are perfect because they’re cozy and warm.

Not sure where to donate? Calling your local Salvation Army is a good place to start.

Women’s shelters

A lot of local women’s shelters seek volunteers to help residents learn to knit or crochet. Like homeless shelters, they’re also looking for donations. Contact a shelter in your area to find out what types of items they’re in need of.

Youth organizations

At-risk youth can really benefit from not only learning new skills like knitting or crocheting but also from a caring volunteer who wants to spend time with them. Some schools have after-school groups that are in need of volunteers to teach kids how to knit or crochet. Bring some of your favorite projects along to motivate them and show them how awesome knitting and crocheting can be!

Looking for a fun, FREE resource to use to teach others how to crochet? Download The Beginner’s Guide to Crochet, which features beautiful step-by-step photo tutorials on how to crochet a chain, how to single crochet and how to double crochet, and also features a handy guide to crochet abbreviations.

Nursing homes

Volunteering at the nursing home can include many knit and crochet activities, from teaching able residents to knit to simply donating items like afghans.

You could even choose a pattern like the Shabby Chic Granny Square Throw pictured above and collaborate with a resident, each of you knitting or crocheting squares that you can join together into one blanket. The time you spend with them is just as valuable as the skills you can teach them.

When in doubt, just donate!

You may not even have to start a new project to donate to charity. If you’ve been knitting or crocheting for years, it’s likely you have more than a few extra projects hanging around that you don’t use anymore. Whether it’s a blanket or way too many beginner scarves, donate those and give them to someone who really needs them.

If you’re not sure where to start volunteering locally, try Lion Brand Yarn’s charity finder. Simply type in your zip code and get a list of charities that need your help.

There are countless opportunities for charitable knitting and crochet — so many, in fact, that it’s impossible to list them all!

I work with a nonprofit that would love the items. We distribute to the neediest of children in our community. Our primary focus is abandoned, abused, neglected and traumatized children as well as at-risk youth. You can visit us at l-gal.org

However, you might also consider contacting a local hospital or local group dealing with abused and traumatized children.

I would like to knit some items to send to St Jude’s hospital and saw that you had done this in the past. I assume they are still I need and wondered what I should work on…hats? Wrist warmers? And what sizes (or a variety)? Any other guidelines that you followed when you did this in the past?

I work with a nonprofit that would love the items. We distribute to the neediest of children in our community. Our primary focus is abandoned, abused, neglected and traumatized children as well as at-risk youth. You can visit us at l-gal.org

However, you might also consider contacting a local hospital or local group dealing with abused and traumatized children.

We have 200 flannel blankets for babys, where can I take them , Hoag Hospital does not wanted as well as ST. Jude, they have not see them, they are very cute, they are call the Warm Hearts because of the heart in the blanket

FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS I HAVE BEEN CROCHETING OUTFITS AND BLANKETS FOR BABIES BORN ASLEEP ,I LOVE WHAT DO BUTI FIND IT GETS HARD TP PURCHASE YARN I AM A WIDOW AD DODNT HAVE MUCH MONEY TO LIVE ON …..IS THERE A PLACE THAT HELPS WITH FREE YARN ,,,I WOULD BE SO VERY HAPPY TO CONTINUE MY DONATIONS FOR MY BABY ANGELS THANK YOU
9275 n.church ,#209 parma, ohio
441

I am recently disabled, but have rediscovered crochet as a means to become useful again. I’ve started making chemo caps and baby booties, but am also interested in making afghans, scarves, and accessories for premies and stillborn babies. Like you, money is extremely tight as I still don’t receive any disability benefits but cannot return to work. It would be a great help to find inexpensive/free yarn that is new. Fortunately, several people from our gave me their spare yarn, which was a start. My hubby also found some yarn stashes at garage sales. Estate sales and thrift shops may also be a source. Local yarn shops sometimes have great buys on discontinued yarns or may give away partial skeins leftover from teaching classes (I got some lovely new yarn from our local shop for free : ) You could also search online for yarn exchange groups and pick up some destashed yarn from other crafter’s. Good luck and God bless you for your generous caring heart <3

Hi Doly Ballot.
How are u going for yarn. I know your request is over 12months old however red heart yarn, which is the Walmart brand, will supply 20 lb a year to people. Email them and tell them what u do. You may be selected to receive some yarn. Hope this helps. Blessings

Hi we are 10 ladies that are interested in helping with knitting, do u supply the yarn and we do the knitting for you in a project with a deadline to be done. Its elderly people who wants to do something to keep them busy. Plse let me know soon.

A wonderful organization called Project Linus, and another called Blankie Depot accept knitted and crocheted scarves, blankets, and hats and get them to people in need in the USA in shelters and hospitals.
The are very grateful for all donations. Please contact them, they have chapters all over the USA. Sometimes people donate yarn to them so others can use them to knit and crochet the items, most times we supply our own, I wait for the 40% and 50% off coupons at AC Moore and Michaels before I buy the yarn. God Bless you ladies who are willing to give your time to help those less fortunate. I’m sure these organizations would be happy to accept the quilts and blankets that you mentioned. Contact them and they’ll tell you how to drop them off.

I work with a nonprofit that would love the items. We distribute to the neediest of children in our community. Our primary focus is abandoned, abused, neglected and traumatized children as well as at-risk youth. You can visit us at l-gal.org

However, you might also consider contacting a local hospital or local group dealing with abused and traumatized children.

Hello,
My name is Madine and I have a great passion for knitting and crocheting being that is my hobby. I have blankets baby child you and adult items ready for donation. My zip code area is 95827. I live in Northern California area. Please let me know we’re I can send thes items. They are new.

I work with a nonprofit that would love the items. We distribute to the neediest of children in our community. Our primary focus is abandoned, abused, neglected and traumatized children as well as at-risk youth. You can visit us at l-gal.org

However, you might also consider contacting a local hospital or local group dealing with abused and traumatized children.

Not only people need warm and cosy items – shelter animals are JUST as much in need of a comforting, warm item. I crochet dog jackets during the year and donate them to our local SPCA every year at the start of winter.

I used the following link at YouTube.com under DIY dog sweaters and love the pattern. I’ve made several for my own small dog. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33i7IkhaXVc. You’ll have to type in the link because I was unable to figure out how to paste it as a link. Hope this helps.

Hi Estie,
I’m starting a nonprofit that focuses on donating crocheted or knitted dog sweaters to local pet shelters and rescues. Would you be interested in partnering/working with me to help dogs in shelters?

I am near greenwood sc I have a lot of yarn I would love to donate to a good cause but do not have the money for shipping please feel free to Contact me at creativesteph1@yahoo.com
I still crochet but have more than I can use